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Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Did I mention it's the LITTLE things that make life so wonderful?

Of COURSE I did. It's what this blog is all about after all. Simple pleasures. Life's little gifts. Things that make me/you/us smile, laugh, snicker, ponder, wonder, cry, shout, question and just generally appreciate the seemingly diminutive moments and things that make every day worth living. So the subject of today's little thing? Arugula.

You heard me right Arugula is the source of my joy today. Wanna know why? (Here's another thing that's great about blogs. You can answer the question above any way you see fit but no matter what you say or think, I'm gonna keep right on typing. So it's a win/win. Navigate away or keep reading....we all get what we want.) Oh lord - I can tell digression is going to be central to this posting. It's been WAAAAY to long. So here's why Arugula keeps making me grin.....My sister and I (and any number of other family members who shall remain nameless) were recently thrust into a very emotionally tumultuous event. While tugging on each other's bootstraps in the midst of a number of melt downs and frustrating moments, my sister and I shared not one...but several moments of bliss centered around a humble little edible plant -- arugula -- also known as eruca sativa, rocket plant, rucola, and rocquette. Let me back up just a bit so that I can confess a total lack of knowledge regarding the vast variety of leafy bits that make up our salads. I eat A LOT of salads and generally speaking, before now, I could really only point out a couple them by name: iceberg, romaine, cabbage, etc. Every Saturday I go to the market across the street from our condo. One particular Saturday not too long ago, I picked up some very large leafed (is that even a word?) arugula. I felt confident I had arugula prior and it looked innocent enough -- but really, who puts a taste value on leaves? I mean, don't we all judge a good salad by the OTHER things on the salad? Nuts, chicken, dressing, raisins, eggs, etc? Well, no more my friends! Because now I know the greatness of arugula and have started what seems to be a cult....of two. I enjoyed my salads so much the week after I picked up the arugula at the market (oh, btw, try arugula in a rice wrap....AH-MAZING!), that when my sister and I were shopping for some groceries for our mom, we bought a HUGE case of baby arugula. That afternoon, my God-fearing sister became a worshiper of a new God....the God of lettuce everywhere.....ERUCA SATIVA (or to us simpletons...arugula). Yes, I've gone off the deep end and no, I don't mind if you come with or visit occasionally. I tell you what though -- I think my sister was way ahead of me in the "gone off the reservation department"....talking about eating it by itself as a snack...and how fabulously nutty it is. I think she told her poor daughter no less than 17 times how great arugula is and how central to her life it had become in just a few short days. Preach on sister! My niece? NOT impressed with our new found devotion to the leaf. We will have to work on specific initiation rituals before she is allowed into our cult. Perhaps arugula-laced banana shakes??? For my sis' benefit and anyone else who gives a whooey, here are some wunnerful qualities of arugula. One point of contention though, the below article describes the taste as peppery but I'm with sis on this one....nutty...through and through. Health Benefits of ArugulaAnd if you really want to annoy people with your expansive eruca sativa knowledge, take a looky loo at this: